Local News, Mike Treen

The last major strike in the NZ motor industry at Ford-Mazda 1990

By Mike Treen, retired union advocate. In May 1990, a month-long strike occurred at Ford and Mazda owned Vehicle Assembly NZ (VANZ) plant in Manukau City. I was working at the plant at the time and became an active participant in the delegates group. A record of that dispute was prepared by me following the strike. I published it as a booklet at the time … Continue reading The last major strike in the NZ motor industry at Ford-Mazda 1990

Mike Treen
Opinion, Local News

Cuba and New Zealand: a relationship worthy of strengthening by Ian Powell

Ian Powell, the author of this blog is a leading left commentator in Aotearoa. He has a particular expertise on health matters through working for an important health union for several decades. The blog is reprinted from his blogsite Political Bytes and you can subscribe to it there. A list of progressive websites available in Aotearoa is provided at the top of this page under … Continue reading Cuba and New Zealand: a relationship worthy of strengthening by Ian Powell

Mike Treen
Events, Local News

Message from author James Robb on book launch for biography of Harry Holland on Monday in Auckland

Hi friends, Just a quick reminder that the book launch for To Free The World – Harry Holland and the rise of the labour movement in Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific is on Monday (details on attached leaflet) This also means that if you can’t make it to the event, but would like to order the book from the publisher, there is only one … Continue reading Message from author James Robb on book launch for biography of Harry Holland on Monday in Auckland

Mike Treen
Global News

Revolt in the US Universities: “Our last, best hope to halt the genocide in Gaza.”

University students across the country, facing mass arrests, suspensions, evictions and explusions are our last, best hope to halt the genocide in Gaza. ͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   ­͏   … Continue reading Revolt in the US Universities: “Our last, best hope to halt the genocide in Gaza.”

Mike Treen
Local News, Mike Treen

Data 3: Prices are still rising – it’s a cost of living crisis

By Mike Treen, Retired Union Advocate New Zealand’s consumers price index increased 4 per cent in the 12 months to the March 2024 quarter, according to figures released by Stats NZ April 17. This was higher than the Reserve Bank prediction of 3.8%. The 4 per cent increase follows a 4.7 per cent increase in the 12 months to the December 2023 quarter. ”Price increases … Continue reading Data 3: Prices are still rising – it’s a cost of living crisis

Mike Treen
Uncategorized

The Premises of the Diplomatic Mission Shall Be Inviolable

View this email in your browser The Premises of the Diplomatic Mission Shall Be Inviolable: The Fifteenth Newsletter (2024) Afshin Pirhashemi (Iran), Untitled, 2017. Dear friends, Greetings from the desk of Tricontinental: Institute for Social Research. We live in dishonest times, where certainties have crumbled, and malevolence stalks the landscape. There is Gaza, of course. Gaza above all else is on our minds. Over 33,000 … Continue reading The Premises of the Diplomatic Mission Shall Be Inviolable

Mike Treen
Local News, Mike Treen

Data 2: Why we are officially in recession

By Mike Treen, Retired Union Advocate The economy of New Zealand is officially in recession. New Zealand’s gross domestic product (GDP) shrank by 0.1 percent during the October-December period, following a 0.3 percent contraction in the third quarter, according to the Statistics Department, a government agency. (see https://tradingeconomics.com/new-zealand/gdp-growth). Economists traditionally define a recession as two consecutive quarters of negative growth. On a per capita basis, … Continue reading Data 2: Why we are officially in recession

Mike Treen
Local News, Mike Treen

Data 1 – benefits are being cut in value in real terms – but why?

By Mike Treen, retired union advocate The real value of benefits is being cut by switching the calculation of annual changes from the movement of the average wage to the Consumer Price Index. The CPI has traditionally been a lower number. Benefits had been switched back to the average wage movement only as recently as 2020 after being tied to the CPI in 1990. That … Continue reading Data 1 – benefits are being cut in value in real terms – but why?

Mike Treen
Global News, Mike Treen

The need to end US-imposed austerity in Cuba

Wall art created at a community youth cultural centre with the visiting Australasian solidarity brigade in January 2024 By Mike Treen, Spokesperson for the Auckland Cuba Friendship Society Over the last few weeks, the Western news media has been full of stories of “unrest” in Cuba including protests over food and fuel shortages. From Western media reports, you would think that the Government of Cuba … Continue reading The need to end US-imposed austerity in Cuba

Mike Treen
Uncategorized

Unsustainable war machine: U.S. imperialism in crisis

By Gary Wilson Struggle-La Lucha General Smedley Butler said, “War is a racket.” Wikipedia explains that he was referring to the war profiteers and the “imperialist motivations for U.S. foreign policy and wars.” A Guardian headline on Feb. 18 declared: “World’s largest oil companies have made $281bn profit since invasion of Ukraine.” Below the headline was the teaser: “Global Witness says the five ‘super-majors’ are … Continue reading Unsustainable war machine: U.S. imperialism in crisis

Mike Treen